Fire lighter



Patented Mar. 4, 1924.

hddddm FIRE LIGHTER.

Application filed November 8, 1922. Serial No. 599,709.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, BERTRON K. BOYD and HENRY Kinscn, citizens of the United States of America, residing at Detroit, in

a the county of Wayne and State of Michigan,

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire Lighters, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the-accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to that class of devices known as fire lighters or kindlers operating by fluid fuel upon a body of solid fuel into which the burner head of the device is thrust for quickly lighting or kindling a coal or other solid fuel fire in a stove, furnace or heater, and the invention has for its object to provide a simple, inexpensive, durable and efficient device of this character.

The invention will be described in the following specification having appended claims particularly defining the novel features, and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of our improved fire lighter or kindler as applied to use in solid fuel within the fire box of an ordinary stove or range;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of burner head portions of the device drawn to a so larger scale, and V Fig. 3 is a still more enlarged cross-section of the burner head.

The numeral 1 indicates the hollow burner head of this improved fire lighter or kindler. This head may be variously formed but it is preferred to give it an elongated general form and to bevel or sharpen its imperforate forward end 2 to allow it to be thrust by its attached tubular stem or handle 3 into a body of coal or other solid fuel 4 shown in the fire box of an ordinary coal burning heater 5. A gas supply tube 6 is applied upon a tubular nipple 7 formed upon the rear end of a hollow hand grlp 8 into which the rear end of the tubular handle 3 is rigidly screwed or fastened. The parts 7, 8, 3 thus form a conduit conveying gas from the supply tube 6 into the interior gas passage or chamber 9 of the burner head.

The elongated burner head 1 preferably has a substantially fiat imperforate bottom wall 10 and a transversely convexed upper wall 11 which is provided with a plurality of exterior surface recesses 12, and a series porting grate.

of orifices 13 giving communication between each of said recesses and the interior gas passage or chamber 9 of the burner head. These exterior recesses 12 may be of any desired number and form, but it is preferred to form them as longitudinal grooves or channels, extending from end to end of the head and opening through said ends.

When the tube 6 is connected with a source of gas, and the gas supply under pressure turned on, the jets of gas issuing from the orifices 13 are lighted, and the burner head 1 is then thrust into the solid fuel 4:, preferably just above the coal sup- These jets will continue to burn as atmospheric air is supplied through the longitudinal channels for admixture the gas issuing from the orifices, this air entering through the outer ends of said channels as the outer or handle end of the head is preferably left uncovered by the fuel. As the gas is under full pressure within the head, it will issue with considerable velocity from the several orifices and thus draw in a sufficient amount of air through the channels to maintain perfect combustion, and the flame jets will be projected into the bed of fuel, impinging upon the lumps not only adjacent the orifices, but at a distance therefrom to quickly ignite a considerable body of fuel, and as the air entering the open rear ends of the channels has free forward sweep or flow along their entire length, rapid, unobstructed and complete mixing of the gas and air in the channels is insured, and consequently a very hot flame at the burner head is secured within the body of solid fuel to be lit 0r kindled. By carrying the fuel pressure of gas within the head, the gas is carried to issue from the jet openings with force sufficient to close the openings and project the flame and there is no chance for the escape of gas except through these openings or for the flames to be blown out. The direct full pressure at the burner or head is very important in a device of this character as otherwise the flames are not projected far enough and do not burn with suficient heat to light the solid fuel quickly. Further, the grooves or channels in the head form depressions therein in which the jet openings are located so that when the head is inserted in the bed of fuel, the fuel is held away from the jets sufficiently to permit free escape of the gas and the channels longitudinal channels open form mixing chambers into which air is drawn by the rush of gas under high pressure through the several openings.

A very simple device for the purpose which is cheap to manufacture and very efficient in operation is thus provided, no mixing valves or other complicated parts liable to get out of order or liable to allow the escape of gas outside the furnace, being necessary.

Changes which fall within the scope of the appended claims or which are the substitution of parts mechanically equivalent to those specified, are contemplated, and we do not, therefore limit ourselves to the precise construction or arrangement shown.

Having thus fully described our inven tion, what we claim is 1. A fire lighter comprising a hollow burner head having an exterior longitudinal groove open at one end at the outer end of the head and formed with orifices opening into the bottom of said groove, and means for supplying gas under pressure to the hollow head including an imperforate tubular member and a gas supply conduit directly connected to said member to supply gas thereto under full pressure.

2. A fire lighter comprising a hollow burner head having a substantially flat irnperforate bottom wall, and a transversely convexed upper wall provided with exterior at the ends of said head and orifices opening into the bottoms of said channels, and means for supplying gas under pressure to the interior of said head.

3. A gas fire lighter comprising a hollow burner head having a substantially flat imperforate bottom wall, and a transversely convexed upper wall provided with exterior longitudinal channels and orifices opening into the bottoms of said channels with said channels opening through the ends of said head, a tubular imperforate gas supply member rigidly secured at one end to the head and opening into the interior thereof, and a gas supply conduit secured to the end of said member to conduct gas under pressure thereto and to said head.

A. A fire lighter comprising an elongated hollow burner head having a pointed imperforate forward end, a substantially flat imperforate bottom wall, and a transversely convexed upper wall having a plurality of exterior channels and orifices opening into the bottoms of said channels and the interior of the head, said channels being open at the forward end of the head to form mixing chambers for gas and air, a tubular handle connected to the burner head, and an imperforate conduit directly connected to said tubular handle to supply directly to the head.

5. A fire lighter or kindler comprising an elongated hollow fluid fuel burner head having a pointed imperforate forward end, a

substantially flat imperforate bottom wall, and a transversely convexed upper wall having exterior longitudinal grooves or channels, orifices connecting the interior gas passage of the head with-said exterior grooves or channels which form mixing chambers for gas and air, and a tubular handle connected to the burner head and conducting fluid fuel under pressure to the interior gas passage of the head.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

BERTRON K. BOYD. HENRY KIRSCH. Witnesses:

LEwIs E. FLANDERs, KARL H. BUTLER.

gas under pressure 

